First Love
by miss-nettles-wife
Summary: When he realizes he's in love, a young Roland must confess himself. Roland/Balieywick, one shot.


A/N I...I tried to write fluff! Happy holidays!

It was very late, later than the prince would usually be awake, he wandered the halls, questions heavy on his mind. He wandered past the large windows, showing himself and Tilly, facing one another in front of their parents , who faced forward. He'd always hated that window, he'd hated the way he looked, his nose just looked...Wrong, to him. Tilly said it was accurate but he wasn't sure. He knew the window as supposed to be his family but he didn't feel like it truly reflected them. His father was a distant man, always far too busy with his kingly duties to spend time with his only son.

Tilly was his sister, but she was older than him, and sometimes it felt she was his friend more than his sister. Or perhaps that was how sisters were meant to feel. he didn't know. He'd only ever had one.

His mother was his closest family member, well, blood relatives at least. She spoil him rotten and gave him so much love and affection he was sure that it almost made up for his father being so distant. Well at least thats what she was trying to do, he was positive.

He can see out into the courtyard from here, the pinks and blues giving the world a tint that he often felt could reflect his mood. He drifts down again, and into the servants quarters. He didn't understand why it was the Baileywick slept down here, when he'd been little, the man had slept up in the nursery with him, but that had been years ago now. He rarely had cause to venture it was much darker, and far more ominous than the rest of the castle.

The walls seems to barely show up in the light of his lamp as he slowly passed the rooms. Each room seems to be calling crudely to him, to take a peep. He kept moving, he knew what one he was looking for, he was looking for Baileywick.

When he was king, he decided, Baileywick would sleep up at the rest of the castle, with him. No more of this creepy little dungeon feeling place, he thinks, as he comes to the right door. It's small, but seems to be neat. He assumes the room on the inside will also be neat, much like Baileywick himself. There is a small light escaping under the door, so it seems that the older man was still awake, and he wonders why.

He can't imagine Baileywick to ever be plagued by problems of the heart. The man always seems composed and all knowing. Like he could take down an entire kingdom simply by knowing how the king liked his eggs in the morning. He knocks twice, the same way Baileywick knocks on his door in the morning, and then folds his hands behind his back as he waits for the door to open and allow him access to the chamber behind.

Baileywick does eventually open the door, Roland is surprised it takes this long, because Baileywick is normally very quick. The man looks tired but he still offers Roland a smile. "Ah, your highness." He greets, "What can I do for you?" He greets. Roland thinks about what he wants to say.

"Baileywick I needs some advice." he sighed. Baileywick moved so he could enter the room, revealing it to the prince. The walls are plain stone, and it's so small he wonders how he can live here. He sits on the bed and the royal steward joins him.

"What can I do for you, Prince Roland? "he asks. The prince in questions sighs.

"Do you think that it's okay for me to be in love?" he questions. Baileywick nods.

"Of course your highness, any princess would be lucky to have you fancy her. " Roland lets out a softer sigh.

"What if they were a prince?" Baileywick nods again.

"I don't see any problems, love is love, Your Highness.' Roland frowns slightly and nods himself.

"And what if they weren't a prince?" He asks.

"A villager? I wasn't aware you spent enough time there to fall in love." Baileywick says, slowly, but puts a gentle hand on Roland's leg.

"Well...They aren't a villager...But...A steward. A royal one." He whispers and then looks up to Baileywick, "You."

The royal steward leans back a bit on the bed and stares back at Roland. The man has a look of honesty engraved in his features, the boy, he thinks, would make an excellent liar some day. He removed his hand from Roland's leg and watches the other's face fall.

"Your highness." he said, gently, "I've known you since you were a young boy...It wouldn't be right." Roland leans a little closer.

"Yes it would!" He insisted, "Please Baileywick, please give me a chance?" Baileywick again shook his head.

"Your highness." He said gently, and patted Roland on the shoulder. "First loves rarely work out the way they are planned." He said, "And I have no desire to break your heart, but this isn't going to work." Roland gave a sad look to Baileywick but nodded.

"Okay." He murmured. "What if I come back later, when I'm older?" he asked. Baileywick shook his head again and sighed softly. He didn't give Roland an answer though.

"Your highness, I think that it's time you went back to bed." Roland nodded, but took that as a yes.


End file.
